The Realization

Not long after my 46th (gulp) birthday, it occurred to me that something seemed to be missing. Now, that being said, I relize how dang lucky I am. I have a healthy family, a job with good pay and great benes, a husband who loves me, a GREAT kid and terrific friends. All of the above, however, just added to the sense of angst I already felt but added guilt, just for color. For months now I have wandered through my days, doing what is expected of  me at home and at work, but not fully engaged in, well, anything it seems. Ok, so that may be a bit of dramatic exaggeration but at least that is how I feel (and as you have no doubt heard me say, perceptions count).

Inspiration though, can come in the funkiest packages. Mine was an aggregate of the following: 1) My pal Erika started a blog to chronicle her "year of no spending", an idea I both admire and revile (but that is another story all together). 2) Another friend, Laura, has been chronicling her pork and burn challenges: eating in new restaurants and then participating in all sorts of exercise events. 3) My brother and sister-in-law have an amazing site/blog called From Away. It is full of recipes, reviews, musings and photos that they share as they eat their way through Maine. 4) I find myself more and more intrigued by sharing thoughts I once might have only put in a journal, but now am sharing with at least part of the world. And finally, but probably not insignificantly, 5), I watched Julie and Julia (again) last night (I am a child of pop-culture) and thought-why the heck not?

So, with shameless "benchmarking" from all those inspirations I thought for too long last night (resulting in too little sleep), about embarking on my own little journey, quest, adventure. You all know I love to cook (yes and eat). I love to travel, I love to read, and just generally discover. So, this is my excuse to do so in what may or may not prove to be a systematic way (probably not because as you also know, I am not so organized). I don't claim to be a decent writer, so please bear with me as a will likely trash the English language. Ultimately I hope, when this journey advances further, to discover some inward focus, maybe some new hobbies, some new recipes, books, skills, ideas... I really have no clue what I will find, hence the search.

Actually, starting this blog has been brand new territory for me, so apparently the experiment is already successful! Ok, I am done...................................   just kidding. See you next time.